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Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) has strongly condemned the Trump administration’s Justice Department for its recent decision to drop corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
Speaking on NewsNation’s The Hill Sunday, Auchincloss argued that the move undermines the rule of law and represents a blatant example of political interference.
During the interview, anchor Chris Stirewalt asked Auchincloss about the resignations of multiple top federal prosecutors who refused to comply with the order to dismiss the charges against Adams.
“What I say about it is that this president is replacing the rule of law with the law of the ruler,” Auchincloss responded.
“He came into office, he pardoned violent criminals from the Jan. 6 insurrection, including men who tased cops in the neck. Those people are now recommitting crimes back in their communities. He fired inspectors general and federal prosecutors without cause, and now he is directly bullying the Southern District of New York to act in a corrupt manner,” he continued.
The controversy erupted after Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove instructed prosecutors to dismiss all charges against Adams without reviewing the strength of the case.
Bove defended the decision by claiming that the prosecution “improperly interfered” with Adams’s 2025 mayoral campaign and “unduly restricted” the mayor’s ability to focus on key issues such as illegal immigration and violent crime.
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan had charged Adams in September with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national, and bribery.
As his trial approached, Adams had moved closer to Trump politically, a shift that raised concerns about a possible quid pro quo. The abrupt dismissal of the charges only deepened those suspicions.
The DOJ’s decision triggered immediate backlash and led to multiple resignations within the Southern District of New York. The interim U.S. attorney for Manhattan and several other prosecutors stepped down in protest, refusing to be part of what they saw as a politically motivated maneuver.
Auchincloss praised the prosecutors for standing their ground, singling out Hagan Scotten, the assistant United States attorney who resigned rather than comply with the DOJ order.
“That was the lead prosecutor on Eric Adams, and he resigned rather than pursue this corrupt path,” Auchincloss said.
“And he said anybody who followed this order would be a fool or a coward. Now Hagan Scotten clerked for a conservative Supreme Court justice. He is no fool. He is a decorated special forces officer. He’s no coward. Can Republicans answer the same? Because right now they look like both.”
President Trump, when asked about the resignations, distanced himself from the case and dismissed the significance of the prosecutors stepping down.
“I don’t know about it,” Trump said from the Oval Office on Friday. “Obviously, I’m not involved in that, but I would say this. If they had a problem — and these are mostly people from the previous administration, you understand. So they weren’t going to be there anyway. They were all going to be gone or dismissed … because what you do is you come in and you put new people in.”
He went on to downplay the controversy, suggesting that the resignations were inconsequential.
“So when you say resigned, they were gonna be gone anyway,” Trump said. “But I know nothing about the individual case. I know that they didn’t feel it was much of a case. They also felt that it was unfair with the election.”
Critics, including Auchincloss, have dismissed Trump’s explanation, arguing that the order to drop the charges was politically motivated and designed to reward Adams for his recent alignment with Trump.
The Justice Department’s decision has also sparked broader concerns about the integrity of federal law enforcement under Trump. Legal experts and former DOJ officials have warned that using the department to protect political allies and punish opponents threatens the fundamental principles of justice.
For Democrats, the episode serves as further evidence of what they see as Trump’s pattern of interfering with the justice system.
They point to his history of granting pardons to political allies, firing inspectors general who investigated wrongdoing in his administration, and pressuring the DOJ to pursue investigations into his opponents.
Meanwhile, Republicans have largely remained silent on the issue, avoiding direct criticism of the administration’s handling of the case. Some, however, have privately expressed concerns that such actions could undermine public trust in law enforcement and set a dangerous precedent for future administrations.
The fallout from the Adams case is likely to continue in the coming weeks as congressional Democrats push for more oversight and accountability within the DOJ. Some lawmakers are already calling for an investigation into the decision-making process behind the dropped charges.
The controversy underscores the deep divisions in Washington over the role of the Justice Department and whether it can remain independent under Trump’s leadership. While the administration insists that its actions are aimed at correcting past political abuses, critics argue that Trump is weaponizing the DOJ for his own benefit.
As the debate unfolds, one thing is clear: the decision to drop the charges against Adams has only intensified scrutiny of Trump’s approach to governance and his willingness to use federal power to advance his political interests.
